Unions. GOOD.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 11/14/07 at 1:20pm

I'm not talking about this strike or this union- I'm just sick of the endless union bashing. Unions have a long and powerful history in America- the issue is bigger than you not being able to see Jersey Boys.

- It was the Carpenters Guild (forerunner to a union) that organized the Boston Tea Party. And the Carpenter's Hall in New Jersey was the home to the first continental congress.

- It was labor unions that forced reductions in the length of the workday from 12 hours to the current 8. They also were the driving force in reducing the work week from 6 to 5 days.

-The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York in 1911 (150 killed) lead to the growth of manufacturers unions and those unions demanding better working conditions in US Factories. They were instrumental in demanding safety features for workers.

- Following WWI, union demands for better working conditions and an end to child labor lead to US distrust of Unions. By the 1920's unions were seen as a hotbed of Communism because of their support of the working man.

- In the 50's the merger of the AFL & CIO to form a powerful national labor union helped to raise worker pay and improve conditions for all US workers, not just unionized ones.

- Unions continue to be a major supporter of progressive policies in the US, including anti-discrimination law and civil rights for minorities, women & gays.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 11/14/07 at 2:23pm

Union bashing? You're reading the main board, right? Seems most of the bashing is actually the pro-union posters bashing anyone who doesn't agree with Local 1's stance unquestionably.

[DayDreamer]

Posted: 11/14/07 at 2:25pm

I agree that unions have done - and continue to do - many great things, but I also believe that sometimes their demands are unrealistic and out of touch.

[Calvin]

Posted: 11/14/07 at 2:27pm

No, Rath. While there's plenty of nonsense coming from both sides (I absolutely loved the post that compared the stagehands' plight to the freaking African slave trade) there is a dismaying number of people who have nothing more to add than to just generalized statements about unions being greedy, obsolete, lazy and so on.
Updated On: 11/14/07 at 02:27 PM

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 11/14/07 at 2:29pm

I am reading a lot of it, and what I posted earlier is the majority of what I'm seeing.

But I missed the slave trade post! That's fabulous. I did see one comparing the stagehands to ER doctors. That was good too.

[tazber]

Posted: 11/14/07 at 2:33pm

I stopped reading 2 days ago. There are 2 kinds of posters over there right now:
1)regular Bww posters who have no clue of which they speak but like to sound as if they do and
2)local one members who aren't at work and have time to vent on here

Updated On: 11/14/07 at 02:33 PM

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 11/14/07 at 2:35pm

I guess I fit into 1 because I'm definitely not 2.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 11/14/07 at 2:36pm

Seems like they have time to vent when they're working, as well.

[tazber]

Posted: 11/14/07 at 2:43pm

and
3)Rath, who is in a category all by herself.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 11/14/07 at 2:47pm

The one person over there who is jumping on all my posts is just going around in circles anyway. I give up.

[Wilhelmina]

Posted: 11/14/07 at 2:58pm

"The one person over there who is jumping on all my posts is just going around in circles anyway"

And you know that person is probably just Sueleen or Namo anyway....

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 11/14/07 at 2:59pm

LOL! No, it's someone else who's posting prolifically in the strike threads as if they know it all.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 11/14/07 at 2:59pm

The one who hit my button was the one about Google being non-unionized. I figured I might as well start an irrelevant PRO-Union post for a change.

[tazber]

Posted: 11/14/07 at 3:02pm

I'm partial to the one where the local one guy was trashing the ATC posters. LOL.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 11/14/07 at 3:19pm

"regular Bww posters who have no clue of which they speak"

Doesnt that describe most threads on this site? Seriously...

[JustAGuy]

Posted: 11/14/07 at 3:22pm

"The one person over there who is jumping on all my posts is just going around in circles anyway. I give up."

Could it be that the one person who is jumping all over your posts, is just asking for clarification? And that the reason that you've given up is that you don't like to be challenged, or that you don't have the answer?

Updated On: 11/14/07 at 03:22 PM

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 11/14/07 at 3:23pm

I answered your question quite clearly on a thread, and you asked me why I responded in a way so as to answer your question.

That's all. I'm not going to play these games with you. Bait away.

[JustAGuy]

Posted: 11/14/07 at 3:26pm

"I answered your question quite clearly on a thread, and you asked me why I responded in a way so as to answer your question."

Can you explain that sentence, because it doesn't make a lick of sense.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 11/14/07 at 3:30pm

You asked a question.

I answered it.

You asked me why I responded the way I did although the way I responded was a clear answer to your question.

If you don't get it now, too bad. I'm done. Too much energy has already been wasted on you.

[Wilhelmina]

Posted: 11/14/07 at 3:32pm

Rath! Please step away from the duck.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 11/14/07 at 3:34pm

[JustAGuy]

Posted: 11/14/07 at 3:40pm

"You asked me why I responded the way I did although the way I responded was a clear answer to your question."

I don't think I've ever asked you "why you reponded the way you did". If so, point me to the thread.

I've challenged you several times, both on your statements, which you've delivered like Moses coming down from the mountain, and on the responses those statements generated. If you don't like having your statements or opinions challenged, then why bother participating in the thread in the first place?